Reviews

“Math on the Move is a fantastic resource. I have been dabbling with using movement for maths education for a while and it has been amazing to find someone who has done in depth exploration of the potential of this approach. Malke’s experience in this field comes out in this book and she has clearly thought a lot about the difficulties and barriers to starting to do this kind of work for the first time.

“This book is a clear and comprehensive guide to beginning that exploration yourself. I found that when I started trying to engage children with “moving maths” that I did not have enough understanding about how to facilitate real connection making between the movements and the maths. I’m so excited to have this book to help me to give my students a deeper and far more satisfying relationship with maths.”

“Malke has shared not only an innovative and accessible way of presenting complex ideas, but, in this book, she has also been generous with letting me experience of the way she brings her art into the classroom, sharing details of her process and values, details which I am assimilating with a greedy urgency.” [READ FULL REVIEW]

“[In this book] there is a whole heap of very deep discussion on what it means to give the students the power over their own learning. Malke discusses the importance of clear simple boundaries, of precise language, of encouraging language, of reflection, of getting students to share, and of ways to help children to focus. All of this is vividly displayed throughout the Math in Your Feet chapters of the book, and what you can learn here would translate to all sorts of other teaching situations. It is worth watching all the videos jut to revel in Malke’s skill of never praising product but always excitedly praising participation and practice.” [READ FULL REVIEW]

“The curriculum in Math on the Move is geared primarily toward teaching mathematical and spatial relationship concepts to upper elementary students. However, the framework put forth teaches so much more than that. Because of its robust nature, it is easy to apply Universal Design concepts and use the framework to teach even to the access levels of object awareness and imitation. I’ve yet to meet a student, regardless of physical involvement, who didn’t appreciate movement. Malke has created a truly inclusive text that I hope will become a staple of every teacher’s library. I know it’s already taken a key place in mine.” READ THE FULL REVIEW

“This book offers a clear and enthusiastic guide to educators who want to think about students making math in new ways. It is informed by both real world practice–the author is a dancer and educator who has been teaching and dancing for many years–and solid theory and research in mathematics. The result is an invitation to readers to try things out and collaborate with their students to explore mathematical ideas with their moving bodies. Includes links to videos and real-world examples of lessons, dialogues and discussions, student reflections and feedback, and critical analysis of what kind of learning is going on. No gimmicks or jargon! Just solid theory and practice.”

“This book is of course a tremendous practical resource for teachers, parents and students. But much more than that, it will change how you think about math education and movement. The book contains a wealth of practical and theoretical ideas, but it is also a “teach them to fish” sort of book that will quickly have you adapting and extending curriculum to fit your own teaching and learning contexts. The author’s work is deeply and rigorously rooted in the latest insights about math education and her long history of performing and teaching as a percussive dancer (Irish etc.). Very much a leading edge educational text that is also extremely practical and fun!

“This book is not about ‘kinesthetic learning.’ This is about making connections in mathematics through motion, body, and dance for elementary school learners. It is an amazing concept to think about. I really appreciate that on page two, she says, “not all of dance is mathematical and not all math is danceable.” That sets the tone for the entire book. Rosenfeld looks for the strengths in using movement, and using the body as a thinking tool. This is a powerful idea, and the first chapter of the book is about what doesn’t and does count as using the body as a thinking tool. I loved the deep thinking this chapter provoked, because it made really think about dance and movement with respect to math.” [READ FULL REVIEW]
—Glenn Waddell (@gwaddellnvhs) Master Teacher w/ NevadaTeach at University of Nevada

“Malke shares her contagious excitement in sense-making and problem-solving in both movement and mathematics. The introduction of your own body as a tool for doing and figuring out math is powerful, engaging and will invite learners who have often been or felt excluded in the math classroom. Malke’s work is built on a solid foundation of some of the deepest thinkers in math education, like Seymour Papert, but forged through classroom practice with actual students and teachers. Clap hands and join in!”

—Dr. John Golden (@mathhombre) Math Education Professor at Grand Valley State University

“Of course, as a special education teacher, I was drawn to the section entitled, “Considerations for Students with Particular Needs.” Here, Malke successfully avoids one of the major pitfalls of most books that propose modifications for students with special needs, by clumping these unique learners into one homogeneous blob called, “students with special needs.” She uses student-first language to describe methods that can support students with a variety of needs and strengths, such as: autism spectrum disorder, sensory defensiveness, auditory processing and language-related needs, physical and mobility challenges, attention issues, and cognitive challenges. She ends this section with how progress is demonstrated in the Math in Your Feet program, “…success is defined by a student’s growth compared with him- or herself.” Words that could make any special education teacher do their own happy dance!” [READ FULL REVIEW]

“Do you have students who worry too much about getting right answers? Do you have students who like to wiggle? How about students with wonderful imaginations? Math on the Move provides ways to engage all of your students in mathematical thinking and problem solving. Malke Rosenfeld takes her deep knowledge of percussive dance and uncovers intersections with fundamental elementary topics from counting, patterns, and shapes, to combinations and transformations. By engaging their whole bodies in sense making, children will develop new understandings of these important ideas.”—Ilana Seidel Horn (@ilana_horn) Professor of Mathematics Education, Vanderbilt University Peabody College; author of Strength in Numbers

“As a mathematician whose work crosses into art it is always inspiring and delightful when I encounter work that is both genuine mathematics and genuine art; each side supporting and enriching the other. Malke’s work fits this pattern wonderfully. The movement activities described naturally link to the notions of transformational geometry and the subtle questions of sameness and difference that are explored. Enabling people to find the links between that physical understanding and the mathematical abstractions is a wonderful way to make mathematics open up. Overall this is a wonderful book on the power and importance of mathematical thinking to explore all sorts of surprising topics, and conversely the importance of physical movement and dance to explore mathematics.” [READ FULL REVIEW]